Sri Sri: We meditated for 20 minutes. Did you feel the time? When you meditate, there is certain secretions in the brain. These secretions nullify the effect of the stress harmones.

How many of you feel lightness in the hands and feel fresh? Hmmm...You must meditate daily.

Today's Gita was very imp (samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu 
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah 
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya 
mayi te tesu capy aham). Krishna says that I have moh (attraction) for everyone. Sam moha (same attraction) for everyone. Neither I dislike anyone a lot nor love anyone a lot. Krishna tells Arjun that you are very dear to me. Then Arjun also says yes, you are also very dear to me. Its very important, everyone is dear to God but God also should be dear to you, that is Bhakti. Whatever happens, it feels that it is our own person. For example, if your mother says something, then you do not leave the house. But when you hear something from the mother-in-law then you get angry. Mother-in-law scolds less than the mother. yet, there is difference in the way we deal with things. Why? Because there is more sense of belongingness in one case as compared to the other. So krishna says who ever moves in life with this, I am in them and in they are in me. The person who shares such knowledge and expresses belongingness such people are devotee.

(api cet su-duracaro 
bhajate mam ananya-bhak 
sadhur eva sa mantavyah 
samyag vyavasito hi sah) Some people think that Guruji encourages people who are not so good. Some think that I encourage hopless and bad people. I tell you, dont worry about my work. I know my work: when to catch hold of which person. Instead of minding your own mind, you are looking at other people. In spite of the bad history/past, when a person joins the master that person is considered a sadhu (good person).Why? Because having come in contact with knowledge and devotion, such a person (a devotee) will improve very soon. Durachari (person who does bad deeds) does not have inner peace. The devotee gets inner peace and then they do not behave badly. Person who is at peace can not do any wrong deeds.

(ksipram bhavati dharmatma 
sasvac-chantim nigacchati 
kaunteya pratijanihi 
na me bhaktah pranasyati)

Ksipram means fast, ver fast the person is going to change and become righteous. That person was not behaving properly in the past because there was no peace inside.

Krishna tells Arjun; Announce in the world that my devotee will never progress downwards, they will never perish - they will always progress ahead. This is so beautiful, right?

Stressbusting with Sri Sri Ravishankar

BANGALORE: It was the perfect ending to a long day for Anna. Saturday evening was spent in the company of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar at Art of Living International Centre on Kanakapura Road.

He devoted 15 minutes to meditation with Sri Sri and hundreds of devotees. Addressing them, he said: "Service to humanity is service to God. Many people spend at least half an hour in temples doing pujas. Later, they spend one hour trying to grab others' land. Both worship and service to people should go hand in hand." 

Sri Sri called on people to fight against corruption by sticking labels stating 'I won't take bribe' on every officer's desk. "First we should stop giving bribes. The fight against corruption should begin from here. We should at least influence 100 people and commit them against giving bribes," he said. He underlined the need for a revolution of thought and feeling. Read More

Source : The Times of India

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (29th May 2011)

Q: How do we settle our mind that whatever we have is best?

Sri Sri: Just giving an intellectual talk does not make a difference. Sit for meditation then intuition develops.

Q: You have stolen every ones heart and you have removed so much pain. How is that possible?
Sri Sri: I wonder about that too.

Q: I have a doubt. I did the Part 1 course and then I did the Part 2 Course but I didn't feel anything much. Why does Art of Living have so many courses?
Sri Sri: After a certain level people say that they want something new. So if you want to repeat the same program you can repeat it, we don't even charge people for repeating the program.

Q: What is it that you can give for my family and friends?
Sri Sri: What is it that you want? Everything you are getting right. No one goes empty handed from here.

Q: I like Kriya, sadhana, satsang but not pooja.
Sri Sri: Ok. It is not necessary to do a lot of pooja.

Q: How to identify accidental and natural death?
Sri Sri: How did you create two categories?

Q: Can Sudarshan Kriya help me with my depression?
Sri Sri: Definitely. Yes.

Q: Are there any courses for under privileged who cannot come here? 

Sri Sri: Yes.

Q: Which detergent to you use to wash your clothes?
Sri Sri: I use gyaan to wash the mind. My work is like that of a dry cleaner. So many minds are cleaned every day.

Q: What do I need to make you come to Solapur?
Sri Sri: I have already come to Solapur 5 times.

Q: How do I control anger?
Sri Sri: Why do you want to control anger? You need to control it only if you hold on to it.

Q: Astrology and spiritual knowledge - comments.
Sri Sri: There are two types of knowledge: apara and para. Spiritual klnowledge is above all others - apara and it can change a lot of things for you. Para knowledge has its own place. It is good to do some rituals. Do some chanting, meditation.

Q: Can we keep different photos of Gods in our house?
Sri Sri: Yes. See one in all and see all in one.

Q: do you believe in deja vu?
Sri Sri: Yes

Q: what is kundalini?
Sri Sri: That which helps to gets into meditation is kundalini.

Q: I started with kriya but some impressions keep coming.
Sri Sri: Continue with your kriya.

Q: Is it necessary for us to go to the temple daily? Sri Sri: Having trust and faith in the heart is good. There is no need to go to the temple every day. Meditation and faith is more important. When you go to the temple there is social interaction as well. Sri Sri: Just now you heard that all the taxi drivers and auto drivers in Bangalore have done the part 1 course and they feel so tension free. They have tension because of traffic jams and passengers. To overcome the tension they used to drink. Now, they are tension free and they do not drink any more.

Excerpt source:

http://www.artofliving.org/sites/all/themes/aolglobal/webcast-with-sri-sri-ravi-shankar.html

Note: The recorded satsangs will soon be displayed on http://www.artofliving.org/satsang

Full fledged satsang QNA's will be published on http://wisdomfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/ very soon!

For the details on the upcoming LIVE webcast satsangs, please visit http://www.artofliving.org/satsang

Sri Sri, Anna call upon the nation to fight corruption

Bangalore. May 28. 2011

Social activist Anna Hazare along with Arvind Kejriwal and Swami Agnivesh, today, called upon Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at The Art of Living International Center. Thanking the spiritual leader and thousands of volunteers for their immense support and guidance, Anna Hazare said, "Every single person should encourage others to join the movement and work for a corruption-free India. To lead the fight against corruption it is important to abide by five things – good values, a clean background, love, courage to face insults and sacrifice. "

Speaking on the occasion, Sri Sri said, "We need to change the mindsets. Corruption begins where belongingness ends. What belongs to you will come your way, so make an honest living. This revolution to get rid of corruption should be brought to the country." Expressing his gratitude to Sri Sri, Arvind Kejriwal shared, "We didn't know this fight would become so big. I thank The Art of Living and Sri Sri who guided us on every step."

Read more at: http://www.artofliving.org/sri-sri-anna-call-upon-nation-fight-corruption

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (27th May 2011)

Q: Can you read books of other spiritual masters, if we are following a path?

Sri Sri: It is ok, if it does not confuse you

Q: why do people in spiritual path have long beard?

Sri Sri: This is uniform..it can do without uniform also, do not get stuck up with outer things,there should be an inner transformation,there are 1000s who just change their out look, that actually does not make any difference.

Q: Can devi and devatas and guru get angry anytime..?

Sri Sri: I cannot say about devi and devataas, but I will not get angry on you for sure, but if you feel that I will get angry if you do something wrong, then it is fine, feel that, so that you do not do anything wrong.

Q:I have been doing Sudarshan Kriya from several months but not getting expected changes.

Sri Sri: What you are expecting? Just do sadhana, things will happen. Sit with your teacher, discuss. Listen to Astavakra gita and knowledge.

Q: I want to become your Manasa Kanya, how do I do that?

Sri Sri: Dont give name to relationships, let love be love. Relationships have a limitation. Bu love is far beyond any limitation. I am yours. I born saying "May tera (I'm Yours)".

Sri Sri: Be happy and make others happy. It can happen that if the time is not good, then a friend may behave like and enemy and at times when time is good even enemies can behave like friends! When you know this, your mind will be calm. One can make bad time good for that, Chant or listen to mantras. When you chant mantras then the divine power within you rises. Divine power is there within us. These qualities are like folded peacock feathers. When we chant mantras, they rise and spread out. Chant or listen to Mantras which itself is sufficient to turn the whole situation back to normal.

Q: Does miracles happen?

Sri Sri: Where there is faith, Shraddha and love, miracles keep happening in life!

Q: How can experience happiness?

Sri Sri: Until you share happiness with others, you will not experience happiness. Happiness that comes by sharing is really inexpressible.

Q: Among Meditations, Pooja and other practices that we do, which one is best

Sri Sri: Meditation is the best. But everything has its own importance and place.

Sri Sri: Supreme power doesn't decide fortune, Its you who decides your fortune.

Q: Why girls are not allowed to temples during monthly periods?

Sri Sri: Mother is the one who does lot of work in home. She is the one who gets up early in the morning and she is the last person to go to bed. So in olden days, our ancestors and saints wanted to give her some rest. Hence they told her not to do even kitchen work during these days in the month.

Q: Continuous studies because of exams leading to stress

Sri Sri: Take a break. Relax a while between studies, Sing and dance and continue your studies.

Q: I am very short tempered, how to overcome it?

Sri Sri: Dont label, First remove the label that you are short tempered.

Q: Sometimes I loose confidence though I am very confident in most of the times

Sri Sri: Life would have been monotonous without variety. So everything is there here. When ever you feel so utterly helpless, pray. You will be back with confidence.

Q: I am addicted to PC, how can I come out of it.

Sri Sri: If you want to do it, you can do it. Take a vow that from tomorrow onwards I will work only for 1 hr infront of computer. It should be one hour exactly not even a minute more than that you should stay.

Q: How can we help and support a girl who was raped?

Sri Sri: Help her to gain confidence. Make her to move on in life forgetting all the bitter experiences. Of course the old memories torture but one has to drop them and move towards higher levels. So make her learn Sudarshan kriya and tell her to learn and practice yoga and pranayamas etc..

Q: My Parents underestimate me, what do I do?

Sri Sri: You have someone to support and not underestimate you right? Focus on it. Focus on their encouragement.

Q: My parents are stubborn and this gives me lot of problem, how do I manage?

Sri Sri: Dont discard what parents suggests or say at the same time you dont have to do everything because their attention could be limited. Talk to them, work towards establishing harmony.

Q: When ever I meet people in Art of Living, I dont feel them as strangers, how does this happen?

Sri Sri: Wonder. Just keep wondering. Some things in life needs to be wondered.

Q: I see you complete, what do you see in us?

Sri Sri: I also see completeness in you. Its good that you are seeing completeness. Keep doing sadhana, be regular in seva and satsang. Day by day you will still grow.

Q: How to know that I am non doer?

Sri Sri: When you do any work too much or when you are in deep meditation, you will experience that non doership.

Q: Filmy songs keep coming in my mind on background, this has become so much that I have started to feel nervous weakness, how to overcome this.

Sri Sri: Do an advance course.

Q: How to develop intuition and give up identification with the past

Sri Sri: Dont do post mortem of the past. Have deep acceptance of the past. So when you accept the past and are dynamic in the present moment, new dimension gets added

Q: Who made God? How does he has so much energy?
Sri Sri: If you know that you were created by God, that is sufficient. God is created by devotees. if there are no devotees, then how can God exist.

28 May: Anna Hazare at the International Centre of Art of Living, Bangalore ashram

Jaigurudev Dear ones

We would like to share that Anna Hazare is arriving at the Bangalore ashram to meet Guruji on 28th May at 7pm IST

He will be addressing thousands of people along with Guruji on the subject of India against corruption.

Please be present to listen to both Gurudev and Anna voice their opinion on the subject.

All are invited to attend this function at the Bangalore Ashram

All those who cannot come, can still watch the live webcast on www.artofliving.org/satsang And youtube.com/artoflivingtv

Jai Gurudev!

Excerpts from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India) Satsang (26th May 2011)

Audience: Guruji, we love you.

Sri Sri: Our love is old.

Krishna said these words when he sat in samadhi. Whatever Krishna said was not said as a person, but as a Shiv Tatva. All the equipment's: mike, light they all run on electricity. They all look different but they run on the same thing. Similarly we all look different but we are all made of the same thing. The Sun and other things in the universe is made up of the same universal energy, even scientists agree with this. What we consider as an item is not really an item, it is energy. Krishna said the same thing in Gita: People think that I am a human being, I am in human form but I am shakti.

Q: Japa mantras feel special initially, later they don't, why?
Sri Sri: When you take a dip in Ganga, the first time it is cold. Later your body gets used to it. You don't need to worry about it. Gratefulness comes in waves.

Q: There are so many mantras.Can you speak about the special effect of some mantras?
Sri Sri: It is said in Vishnu Sahasranam that everything has come in So Hum. Every mantra has an effect, but the important thing is meditation. Important thing is to go beyond the mantra.

Q: Why are all the mantras in Sanskrit?
Sri Sri: Mantras came first. Sanskrit came later. If you go deep into any language you feel and find the sound there too.

Q: Difference between mantra and yantra?
Sri Sri; Mantra is name and yantra is form.

Q: What are the qualities of a good disciple?
Sri Sri: This is a good homework. Tomorrow let's put a sheet here and whatever you feel like right that. People on the net, can send on e-mail what are the qualities of an ideal devotee.

Q: What is the best form of prayer?
Sri Sri: It is meditation, to know that you are being taken care of and recognise the divinity.

Q: dealing with spirits, how?

Sri Sri: Take care of people around you. Don't focus your attention on spirits. Do your kriya, satsang. 

Q: How do we dispose fliers and posters. I feel guilty throwing away something which has your picture on it?
Sri Sri: You can use it as a rough book or don't print too many of it.

Q: There are criminals in the cabinet.

Sri Sri: Everyone has to work together to remove corruption. There needs to be a stir in the ministers. Things will change.

Q: Once upon a time, farmers were doing very well.

Sri Sri: The ministers have not done well for the farmers. They should either do good or move away. Ministers are not bothered about the people. It is very important to speak against the wrong things they are doing.

Q: I have given my 10th and 12th exams. How many more exams do i need to give to proove that I am intelligent?

Sri Sri: People who don't have intelligence want proof of other people's intelligence. I have been giving so many exams all these years and you have to give only a few for the next few years.

Q: Surrender and sankalpa: when to use which one?

Sri Sri: Sankalpa and Surrender needs to be used together. For example, when you go to the cinema hall you have to first buy a ticket and then when you want to enter the cinema hall you have to give the ticket.
Excerpt source: http://www.artofliving.org/sites/all/themes/aolglobal/webcast-with-sri-sri-ravi-shankar.html

Note: The recorded satsangs will soon be displayed on http://www.artofliving.org/satsang

Full fledged satsang QNA's will be published on http://wisdomfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.com/ very soon!

For the details on the upcoming LIVE webcast satsangs, please visit http://www.artofliving.org/satsang

Come, take charge of the world: Sri Sri tells youth

BANGALORE: Young leaders from eight SAARC countries sat in a classroom practising pranayama and meditation. Taking them to a 16-minute destressing session was spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar.

 

The venue was Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) where Sri Sri attended the South Asian Peace Conference conducted by the Blue Ribbon Movement.

 

When the spiritual guru spoke about peace within, the enthusiastic youngsters tried out destressing methods. Sri Sri took them through the basic steps of breathing exercises and meditation.

 

When the session was over, it was time for a question-and-answer session with Sri Sri. The posers ranged from his belief in God, to maya and chanting. Excerpts from the session:

You have a programme called the Art of Living. What's meant by this?

We do everything for life, but fail to appreciate life. This art is appreciation of the gift that is called life.

 

Is it true that the lines of your hand determine one's life?

There's some road map, but it's not 100% rigid; it's felxible. Don't worry about the lines on your palm, they will keep changing.

 

Why is it difficult for us to accept religious differences?

If you have travelled around, you'll realize that India is a real example of communal harmony. Except for a few stray incidents, which are insignificant, it's more or less peaceful.

 

Is peace possible without God?

Without a belief system, peace is possible. That is what even the Buddha preached. We have to be more open, we have to take good things from everybody.

 

Do you believe in God?

What do you mean by God? If you say God is love, then I believe in it. If you say God is energy, then I believe in it.

 

What do you expect from the youth of today?

I want you to take charge of the world. I want you to get into politics, cleanse and spiritualize it, socialize business and secularize religion. Only then will the world be a better place to live in.

 

Why is there a conflict in the South Asian region?

I have the same question. If every country in this region gets together, the economy will boom. We have the largest number of young people. Instead of eradicating differences, we need to bind them and leverage the strength.

 

Read the article on THE TIMES OF INDIA.